why is my horse pacing?

[horseymum]

my horse is a welsh d type horse who has had previous proximal suspensory desmitis but is now pretty sound. she is out on loan as my situation means i can't look after her just now (small baby and no grass-only livery nearby) she was with one person but is now at a centre where she does a bit of hacking and a small amount of basic arena work. my friend runs the centre and has said that she seems to be pacing out on hacks instead of trotting? anyone had experience of this? she is sixteen and never done this before? the only thing which is different is she has had back shoes removed as very little road work to be done - could she be protecting herself? i used to work with icelandics and it was considered a bad habit if they 'piggy paced' instead of trotting. ( obviously flying pace was a different matter and very desirable) it was sometimes hard work to persuade the piggy pacing ones to trot. i will hopefully get up to see her in a couple of weeks and see for myself, so any ideas?

My instructor and friend, says that horses only ever do what you tell them. They don't often take it upon themselves to do anything not natural to a horse. Ten to one, it's the way she is being ridden. You could have her checked out by a vet, I don't know about her past injury, (never heard of it) as she could be compensating for pain or discomfort, but I would ride her yourself first.

i reckon she is responding to something. either pain, and as saggy says, she is protecting or how she is being ridden. agree with riding her yourself.

am going up to ride her in a couple of weeks so hoping it is just that she is being ridden by novices and not a pain issue. Yard owner says she does not do it out in field. may need to have back shoes put back on to see if that helps